Mission 315, 15 February 1945 to Dresden, Germany in B-17G 44-3616 (No name) (358BS) VK-C.
Every mission had its moments, but the Tilsen crew's most harrowing mission was the 15 February 1945 mission to Dresden. Three engines were knocked out over the target and the B-17 dropped from the bombing altitude to 10,000 feet. Lt Tilsen was able to coax one of the damaged engines back to action, but didn't think that the B-17 would be able to fly back to Molesworth. He asked the Navigator, Lt Bielski, for a heading to Russia but Lt Bielski pointed out that his Polish and Lt Tilsen Jewish heritage would probably condemn both of them, not withstanding the hardships that other crewmen would suffer. Lt Tilsen agreed and the crew stayed on course for England. Their B-17 was flying low enough so that the crew could see German interceptor fighters taking off from their airfields intent on knocking straggler B-17 out of the sky. Again and again along the way, squadrons of American fighters would swoop down and drive the German fighters away. The B-17 managed to limp back to Molesworth, way behind the 8th Air Force, but ready and able to fight another day (Comments related by Navigator Lt Casimir Bielski, Jr.)

Enlisted crewmen initial mission grades
Four of the enlisted crewmen flew their first five missions with enlisted men grades below Sergeant..
William G. Hendon (BTG) as a Private and Arnold Mawdsley (R), Julian R. Cassino (WG)
and Isaac H. Proctor as Corporals. All were promoted to Sergeants following mission 306 on
22 January 1945. It was highly unusual for any 8th AF crewmen to fly a combat mission with a grade below Sergeant.